


Please

by creationofclay



Series: Gone for You [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-17 21:23:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3544286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creationofclay/pseuds/creationofclay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Follow up to “I Know” and “Bruises”<br/>Ryan (Aaron’s almost one night stand that got interrupted by Robert and Chrissie) reappears and Aaron tries to get to know him better, when Robert interrupts once again, this time with even more confessions to make.<br/>And Aaron has to make a decision about their potential future, but faith (and Chrissie) don't seem to act in their favour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Getting his hands greasy feels good, not having to think, just having to do things, he can do automatically, that’s good for him, that’s what Aaron needs right now. Because thinking only brings him back to Robert’s soft caress of his bruised hand, because he is used to passionate kisses and irritating arguments, but tenderness in moments that aren’t about sex is something new. Something that Aaron can’t think about, because if he does he might let himself hope and that is definitely not something he is allowed in this situation.

Aaron is absorbed in his work, bent over the hood of a non-functioning Vauxhall Vectra and trying not to think about this mess, when someone clears his throat behind him.

Slightly annoyed he turns to find out what the new customer wants, when he sees Ryan standing in front of him, in a blue mechanic’s overall.

Aaron doesn’t know what to say.

Ryan looks sheepish and explains, “I told you about my new job at a local garage? Well, that’s it.”

“Okay” is all Aaron can manage. His mind is racing and he is pretty sure that Ryan being here will cause them all sorts of trouble.

And Aaron hasn’t forgotten how he treated him yesterday, so for a moment he is preparing himself for being shouted at. But when he looks closer he realizes that Ryan doesn’t seem mad, no, he can’t even hide the way his eyes roam appraisingly over Aaron’s body.

Aaron can’t help smirking at that and he has a second look at Ryan, because even if he bored him a bit before, he was decent looking and the overall doesn’t hurt either. Of course Robert was right and Aaron has to admit that he looks quite young, and unsure of himself, but his dirty blonde hair and his quite nicely shaped face aren’t bad, neither is his body that is in good shape.

“So…” is all that Ryan can come up with his cheeks blushing.

He is quite adorable.

“Well, do you know what to do or do you need me to show you around?”

Ryan smiles. “No, I’m fine I started working here last week, I just wanted to introduce me and when I saw it was you to say that I won’t make it awkward for you.”

“Why awkward, what could you make this awkward about?” Of course he know what Ryan means, but he can’t help his defensiveness.

Ryan backs away a step and says sheepishly again, “Don’t worry, whatever that was with you and that guy yesterday, I won’t mention a thing.”

Aaron huffs out in frustration, it’s not fair for Ryan to be in the middle of this now, and for him to get mad at him, he knows he doesn’t deserve that.

“I’m sorry, thanks for saying that but I would prefer not to ever talk about it again.”

And just like that Ryan’s smile is back, “Sure no problem, just… would you, maybe, like to go for a drink with me?”

Aaron raises a questioning eyebrow at the boy but he also can’t help but smile at Ryan’s youthful naivety.

“You would want that after the shit you saw yesterday?”

Ryan seems to be growing more confident now and he takes a step closer to Aaron.

“I think before we had a pretty good time and I still would like to get to know you better.”

Aaron has to smile, because they weren’t trying to get to know each other any better the night before, if you don’t count getting to know each other’s bodies.

“How about we finish our work here first?”

Ryan nods, still smiling widely.

That kid really doesn’t know what is good for him.

\---

After getting a quick confirmation from Robert via text, that Chrissie was out somewhere on a business meeting and certainly not coming to the Woolpack, Aaron gives in and he and Ryan enter the pub.

Ryan is looking around with interest and says, “So that was the place you mentioned yesterday, that your mum owns and where you also live?”

The last bit is said with a twinkle in his eyes that gives Aaron a very clear idea of where Ryan would like this to go. He is just not sure he wants that, Ryan is hot there is no doubt in that, but Aaron knows that this would be a disaster.

Vic smiles at them as they settle at the bar.

“Hi, who is your new ‘friend’?” She gives Aaron that look that makes clear that she doesn’t think friend is the right word.

Aaron roles his eyes, “Hi Vic, this is Ryan, the new mechanic at the garage, I thought I’d introduce him to the local pub.”

“Sure”, is all she says, while getting them their pints.

Aaron can’t hold it against her, not with the way Ryan keeps looking at him.

Quietly he says, “By the way it would be best if you wouldn’t mention that we already met.”

Ryan nods, “Sure, I get it the whole thing with your ‘friend’ and his fiancée that would just be awkward to explain.”

Aaron nods and after that they fall into easy small talk. Aaron is baffled by how easy talking to Ryan actually is, he is used to always having an underlying hostility or search for the other’s ulterior motive, but that isn’t a thing with Ryan and Aaron feels himself relax. And Vic keeps giving him that supportive smile from behind the bar.

But of course a night in the Woolpack without tension in the air can’t last very long.

Aaron didn’t even hear the door opening, but he feels the hands that are suddenly pressed on his shoulders and even without the voice he would recognize these hands anywhere.

“Aaron, mate, what are you having?” Robert asks.

“A pint, what else?” he says briskly.

Just then Robert realizes who is sitting next to him. He releases his shoulders quickly and just wants to say something when Ryan extends his hand for a handshake and says, “Hi, I’m Ryan the new mechanic.”

Robert nods and takes his hand, “Nice to meet you, I’m Robert.”

Ryan’s eyes wander over Robert’s eye for a moment and then land on Aaron’s hands and even if Aaron tried to cover his right hand the glint in Ryan’s eyes say that he got the connection.

Robert sits down next to Aaron and thanks Vic for the pint she brings a moment later.

For a moment the three of them sit in awkward silence, none of them really knowing what to do with the situation.  
Ryan breaks the silence first, “That bruise looks pretty bad, someone must have been quite mad at you.”

Aaron gives Ryan an annoyed look. Poking Robert is never a good idea.

And like Aaron knew, Robert turns and gives Ryan his full attention, smiling one of his evil plan smiles and says, “Maybe, but thankfully we are all made up by now. Isn’t that right, Aaron?”

Aaron can’t help but role his eyes, can’t Robert see that this is a disaster waiting to happen?

“Doesn’t seem as if he agrees with you.”

And that’s it, Aaron pushes himself of his chair and says, “I’m going to the loo and you two get it together.”

And same as just hours before Aaron lets cold water flow over his bruised knuckles, when Robert comes in.

“Get out! I can’t do this right now.”

“Why? Because you would prefer doing something else with your boytoy out there?”

Aaron turns away from Robert rubbing his eyes with his hands.

“You can’t honestly think that riling him up even more is a good idea? What will happen when Chrissie meets him?”

Robert turns Aaron with a hand to his shoulder giving him an outraged look, “And what does that mean, does that mean you would sleep with him to safe our butts?”

“Your butt you mean!”

Robert seems really agitated now. Aaron doesn’t get it.

“And what is it to you? I mean okay you might get jealous, but wouldn’t that be better than your precious fiancée finding out about us?”

Robert advances on Aaron until Aaron is pressed to the wall, so close that Aaron can feel his breath on his face, Robert says, “No! I thought about that shit I did yesterday all night, why do you think I didn’t get any sleep? But you know what conclusion I came to? What you made me realize, you stupid git?”

Aaron swallows hard, the closeness and the seriousness in Robert’s voice doing things to him he can’t put into words, he murmurs a low, “No”

“No, you wouldn’t. I realized that even if it would have meant for Chrissie to find out about us I still wouldn’t have done a single thing differently, it made me realize that… that I would prefer her to know than to have you in another man’s bed.”

Time seems to freeze. Aaron has forgotten how to breath properly all he can do is to take in large gulps of air at a time. This can’t be real. Aaron spent so much time convincing himself that Robert would never feel anything real for him and pushing his own feelings deep down, so that he didn’t have to think about them. And now Robert, what? Has feelings for him? Wants something more? Aaron doesn’t know what to do with this.

“But you are not leaving her, are you?”

Robert looks quite unsure of himself suddenly. “You wouldn’t want me to, would you?”

For a moment Aaron just looks at Robert as if he doesn’t understand anything, but he quickly realizes that Robert really doesn’t know, that he never actually told Robert what he feels.

Before Aaron can answer the question that means so much more than any other question could ever mean, Ryan enters the toilet.

He stops right by the door looking between them and shaking his head lightly.

“You two realize that anyone can just come in here? If you would want to keep whatever this is a secret than you should be more careful.”

Robert frowns and advances on Ryan, malice in his voice, when he says, “And what is it to you, you little shit?”

Ryan raises his eyebrow and says to Aaron, “Really?”

But the step he takes back when Robert comes closer contradicts his current bravado attitude.

Aaron shakes his head in annoyance, this is such a shitfest it’s unbelievable.

“Robert stop, he is right, this is not the best place to meet up, go, I’ll get out in a minute.”

Robert gives him a disbelieving look and with one more threatening scowl towards Ryan he leaves the toilet.

Aaron leans against the sink and drops his head in his hands, he has to think, he has to find out if he really wants this, if he really wants to disclose his feelings so that Robert can decide if he will crush them or not.

“I’m sorry if I interrupted something, but you were gone for quite a bit.”

Aaron lifts his head and swallows the hard lump that is building in his chest.

“It’s okay, we should leave too.”

Ryan nods, but before Aaron can open the door he says, “Are you really involved with that guy? Because he is an asshole.”

Before Ryan even knows what is happening he is pressed against the door by Aaron’s hands.

“He might be, but you don’t know him or anything about this, so I would keep out of it if I were you.”

A moment later Aaron is out of the toilet. He knows that he now reacted as shitty as Robert and made their situation probably so much worse, but he just can’t have that little git say shit about Robert, no matter how horrible he sometimes is, Aaron is the only one allowed to say stuff like this.

Robert gives him a suspicious frown as he comes over to their place, as if he would have used the minutes they were alone in the toilet to make out with Ryan, Aaron has to huff at that thought, there is nothing further on his mind than that.

As Aaron settles in his seat Ryan comes up giving Robert an annoyed and Aaron a slightly hurt look.

“Well that’s it for me then, I’m getting back home. See you soon Aaron. Robert.”

For a moment Robert and Aaron sit in silence, Aaron slowly drinking his pint trying hard not to think.

“What was that?” Robert asks suddenly.

“What do you mean?” Aaron answers irritated.

“I mean the way he looked at you, as if you broke his tender little heart.”

“Fuck off.”

“Come on, I want to know what he could have possibly done that made you realize that he isn’t worth your time.”

“And you are?”

They sit in silence again, Robert’s knee ever so slightly touching Aaron’s. It is such a small connection and still it feels rather significant.

“He called you an asshole.”

Robert smirks, “And you needed to defend my honour?”

“Fuck off, he was over the line, that’s all.”

“Sure”, Robert takes another sip from his beer a rather smug smile on his face.

“Okay, I’m out now.” Aaron says as he finishes the last third of his beer in one big gulp. He can’t stand being this close to Robert any longer.

“Okay”, Robert nods, but before Aaron can stand he leans over him, touching his thigh with his left hand while his right hand is seemingly reaching for the menu next to Aaron.

Aaron knows what he is doing, but that doesn’t make him feel any less hot in that moment, that doesn’t make the feeling of the hard pressure of Robert’s hand so close to his crotch go away.

“What the hell are you doing?” It might come out a bit more breathless than Aaron intended.

Robert gives him his trademark smirk as he leans back still very much in Aaron’s personal space.

“I think you know quite well what I’m doing.”

Aaron huffs and finally stands.

“I’m going now, have fun with whatever you have planned with your fiancée.”

Robert grimaces at the word and he grabs Aaron’s arm before he is gone and says lowly, “Let me know when you know your answer to my question. Please.”

Aaron can’t move for a moment, because if he knows one thing then it is that Robert doesn’t say please. But he just said it, and he still wants an answer, he doesn’t want to pretend their conversation didn’t happen.

Aaron nods shortly and leaves out of the front door despite the fact that that’s not the quickest way to get to his bedroom. He hopes that the fresh air will clear his mind, but he also knows that not even the crisp air of the Alps could clear his head right now.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days feel like a dream, in the way that you sometimes don’t feel like you are part of the world in a dream that it feels like everything flashes by.

Aaron helps Chas with some preparations for the stag night in the pub, he hears about the beautiful flowers they picked for the wedding, he helps Adam with business deals, hears him praise Robert’s help. Hears Chrissie talk about how they have to use make up to get rid off the ugly bruise in their wedding pictures. And all the while he thinks about what Robert asked of him, thinks about the fact that he should make a decision, that he should tell Robert … something.

And he agreed to help his mother out behind the bar on the stag night because she was afraid that it would be quite busy.

It is weird watching Robert like this, surrounded by people that think they know him. He doesn’t seem happy.

No, Aaron can see the stiffness in his shoulders; maybe he could relax if Aaron wasn’t in the same room. He decides to at least give him a chance to have some fun, before he makes it through the backdoor he can hear Andy saying, “No you are not texting your fiancée tonight I’m turning your phone off now, you can’t spend your stag night on that thing.”

As Aaron leans against the wall in the kitchen he looks at his phone and in an instant he decides to take the opportunity.

He smiles at the arrogant voicemail that conveys so much and so little of Robert’s character.

When the beep comes he still hesitates for a second before he starts, “Yes I would want it. I want you to leave her, I don’t want you to marry her, I want to have you all to myself, I want you completely and I don’t care what everyone will think or how much of a disaster this could be, if you want to risk it then I’m in.” he hesitates for a moment again, biting his lip then he adds quietly. “I love you.”

His heart is thundering in his chest as he hangs up.

Now it’s up to Robert what will happen next. Aaron can’t help but smile for a second as hope is bubbling up inside him.

\---

Chrissie is slightly annoyed, looking around the living room, she would really like to wake Robert up, but she knows she needs to be the understanding wife and that a stag night on which you come home way too late and way too drunk should be acceptable. Thankfully she has to only accept this once.

She grins in triumph as she finally finds Robert’s phone in his jacket that somehow found its way under the couch.

Lawrence had called and complained that Robert’s phone was turned off a complete faux pas in his opinion.

And Chrissie as the good fiancée she is will just turn it on and it will be fine and then Lawrence can be the one to wake Robert with a call and Chrissie doesn’t have to do it.

She turns it on and puts in the passcode she of course knows, Robert knows better than to keep stuff like that from her.

She sees that a voicemail has been left and roles her eyes, why her father would do that is beyond her.

She decides to be especially nice and to get rid of the stupid icon, as she goes through the motions she just wants to press delete when she is surprised as she doesn’t hear her father’s voice but that of another man, after a second she recognizes that it’s Aaron’s and a moment later she understands what this is about, she sits down without even realizing what she is doing. She repeats the message just to make sure that she understood the last three words correctly, they are spoken so lowly but so utterly sincere.

For a second she plays with the thought of denying this of thinking that Aaron wanted to call someone else. But she knows it makes sense, she knows that it didn’t make any sense that Robert invested in Aaron’s business, she knows that their sex life has been more than staggering in the last months. And she has seen how Aaron always looks slightly pissed when they are together, Chrissie had thought he just didn’t like Robert, but now she understands that his look had something to do with her presence.

She feels sick, but before she can decide what to do Robert enters the room.

“Ah there it is”, and he snatches his phone out of Chrissie’s hand before she can do anything.

He smiles at her slightly pale but not as bad off as she would have thought after the way he looked yesterday, but then his look of sadness and utter devastation could have been something not alcohol related too as she realizes now.

Robert goes through his phone as if he is searching for something but doesn’t seem to find anything.

“So did you find anything interested on it?” he says it good-heartedly, she realizes that the voicemail icon is gone, that he will never have a reason to listen to them, because he hates them and judges people who leave them.

“No of course not. I’m meeting with Vic to plan the food for the wedding, and don’t forget we have the rehearsal tonight.”

Robert leans down and presses a kiss to her lips.

“Of course not.” He says in his usual slightly exacerbated way, but this time she can’t help but see that his eyes got slightly sad when she mentioned the wedding.

Chrissie gets up and leaves the house swiftly. In the short moment when Robert looked at his phone with hope she decided something. She won’t tell him that she knows, she will watch him closely of course, but she won’t give him a reason to end this. She will get married and he won’t get an easy way out to be with his affair.

No, she isn’t the kind of woman that gives up what is hers!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst continues...

“I didn’t know you loved your phone that much” Chas says, pulling Aaron out of his thoughts.

He just nods as a reply, pocketing his phone. It has been over a day since he left the message on Robert’s phone and he still hasn’t heard back. Aaron knows that that is an answer on itself; he knows that Robert has decided to stay with his fiancée. And it’s fine; Aaron knew from the start that he could never expect more. He at least tries to tell himself that, tries to forget the moment of hope he had.

“You know if I didn’t know any better I would guess you’re waiting for someone special to ring you up.”

Aaron just huffs at his mother’s suggestion, and just wants to say something to divert her attention, when his phone vibrates in response to a text. Faster than he can even process, he has it out and is looking at the text.  
He feels stupid at the disappointment he feels when the text is not from Robert but from Cain, telling him he is needed at the garage.

Chas asks suspiciously, “What’s up now? You look like someone died.”

Aaron rolls his eye.

“It’s nothing, they need me at the garage, I’m off.”

He doesn’t even turn as his mother tries to say something more. It will be good for him to get some work done, because sitting here and thinking about Robert doesn’t help him, that’s for sure.

\---

Before Aaron can even see the garage he can hear Chrissie saying loudly, “What the hell are you doing here?”

And he is pretty sure that he knows what’s going on. Quickly he runs towards the garage, where a furious Chrissie is confronting an intimidated Ryan.

“Not enough that you punch my fiancé, now you’re working here, in walking distance to our house?”

Ryan still looks scared but also quite confused, Aaron just sent a text to Robert informing him of his fiancée’s whereabouts and is now getting between Chrissie and Ryan holding his hands up, placating.

“Chrissie, come on, Ryan is perfectly okay, we talked about it and I think we should just forget about what happened the other night.”

“Forget about it? He hit Robert! We have to use make up for the wedding pictures on him because he would look like a thug otherwise!”

“Hit him? I didn’t hit…”

Before he can finish that sentence Aaron turns and gives him a pleading look, “Let me get this.”

Ryan just wants to say something else when Robert joins.

“Well, what do we have here?”

“Tell Aaron that he can stop defending that hooligan!”

 

Robert’s eyes wander to where Aaron is standing close by Ryan still trying to protect him from Chrissie’s wrath.

For a moment his eyes grow sad, the way Aaron is angled towards Ryan feels like a knife in his chest, for a moment he just wants to pull Aaron away towards him, wants to say that he is his and that Ryan shouldn’t look at him the way he still does.

But Robert knows that he doesn’t have the right to feel that way, he let Aaron make his decision and he clearly has, Aaron’s feelings for him weren’t as deep as he had hoped for obviously.

Chrissie seems deep in thought, the way she shoots looks between Robert and Aaron, she suddenly clears her throat and says, “Okay if you both agree that he is that innocent, then I’ll let it go. For now. But I still think the person that hit you should be in jail!” And for a moment she fixes Aaron with her eyes.

After getting the keys to her fixed car she is gone quite fast.

Aaron feels shaken, because the way Chrissie looked at him it almost seemed like she knew something, which is stupid she would have said something if she did, but just for a second he wasn’t sure, just for a second he thought they were busted.

“Sorry for that mate.” Aaron looks surprised at Robert as he apologizes to Ryan.

Ryan doesn’t seem thankful, well he doesn’t know how rare an apology from Robert Sugden is.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Robert asks Aaron. Ryan huffs in the background but makes his way out of the garage, mumbling something about getting lunch.

Aaron bites his lip, he doesn’t know what Robert could want to talk about, he wouldn’t just mention the voicemail now, would he?

“I don’t think now is a good time, how about tonight, in the barn?”

Robert nods, a small smile on his lips, he looks almost hopeful, but that doesn’t really make sense, does it?

“Yes sounds good, I’ll be there at 9.”

Aaron nods and looks after Robert when he walks away, deep in thought and deeply confused about the mixed signals he is getting.

\---

“Sorry, Chrissie was being especially interrogative about where I was going tonight.”

Aaron just nods, his lips are slightly sore from him biting them while he was waiting.

Waiting for Robert for half an hour isn’t something new, but he feels like this is driving him out of his mind, he should say something, he knows, but he doesn’t think that he can bring himself to do it.

“Are you okay?” Robert asks, coming closer and putting his hand on Aaron’s jaw, lightly dragging his thumb over his lower lip.

Robert smiles at the other man and comes even closer, “I said I would come, you wouldn’t have needed to worry so much.”

Robert replaces his thumb with his lips softly putting them on Aaron’s, slowly he lets his tongue drag over Aaron’s lip, soothing the sore flesh, before claiming his mouth fully. And Aaron lets himself sink into Robert, lets his mouth be taken like so often, doesn’t hold back.

Robert draws back for a moment just smiling at Aaron. Aaron just wants to smile back when the moonlight illuminates Robert’s face and makes his bruise seem even more prominent than normal.

Aaron slowly lifts his hand and brushes it softly over the black and blue marks he left on Robert’s cheek. The other man leans his face in Aaron’s hand as if wanting to strengthen the contact.

For a moment they stand like this with the moonlight falling in, like two lovers in an epic romance, damned from the start.

“You are still going to marry her, aren’t you?” Aaron says sadly.

Robert looks confused at him now and says, “Yes, but only…” before he can finish the sentence his phone rings, he curses lightly and picks up when he sees it’s Chrissie.

He walks a few steps back and Aaron can see that he is arguing. Aaron shakes his head, Robert shouldn’t be arguing on his behalf, not if he made the decision to be with her.

He leaves and doesn’t turn as Robert calls after him.


	4. Chapter 4

Robert twiddles his phone in his hand, he knows he shouldn’t even think about it. Aaron hasn’t answered any of his texts in the last couple of days, he ignored him every time they were in the same room, the only positive thing seems to be that Aaron hasn’t been with Ryan either as far as Robert knows.

He looks at his phone again, scrolling to Aaron’s name, he just wants to hear his voice, he wants to hear him say that he doesn’t want to be with Robert, because then this might be easier, this might not feel like the biggest mistake he ever made.

Robert breathes out carefully and lays his phone on the table. He puts his jacket on and looks in the mirror. He looks perfect, everything is in its place and for a moment he thinks about how Aaron would look at him if he could see him like this, not in the chapel but in a moment that they would have all to themselves. He smiles, thinking of the desire that would grow in the other man’s eyes.

Robert thought he had seen more than desire there, he was so sure of it, but Aaron hadn’t said anything about his question.

Robert looks at himself in the mirror again and he can see how sad he looks how his eyes have a shallow look in them and his whole posture isn’t lively like just moments ago. And suddenly he knows that he can’t be this person, that even if Aaron didn’t say anything, he can’t marry if it turns him into this version of himself. And even he isn’t self-deluded enough to not know that no matter how good his façade is, it would wear down eventually and what would happen then? Would he turn out to be an old miserable prick like Lawrence? No he can’t do that to himself, he has to stop this now.

Thankfully Chrissie is alone when he enters her room, she looks beautiful in her white dress, but Robert doesn’t miss how it doesn’t elicit anything close to the feelings that he had when he saw Aaron in a suit.

“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t see me in my wedding dress before the wedding!” Chrissie sounds indignant,  without any happiness about the appearance of her fiancé. Well, this should make it easier for Robert at least.

“I’m sorry, but we need to talk.”

Chrissie gives him a suspicious look but gestures him to continue.

“I don’t think I can marry you. I’m sorry but…” he gets interrupted by a furious Chrissie.

“Now? You think now is a good time to bring this up?! It’s because of Aaron, isn’t it? I knew his little voicemail wasn’t the end of it!”

“How do you know about Aaron and what voicemail?”

“It doesn’t matter, you’re not leaving me, not today! You won’t embarrass me like that.”

“I’m sorry Chrissie, but I can’t go through with this.”

“You bet you can, because if you don’t I will make your lovely Aaron’s life a living hell, and you know that I can, my father would be only too willing to help!”

Robert swallows hard, he hadn’t thought of that, for a moment when he decided to end this for himself and not for Aaron he hadn’t thought of the consequences this could still have for him.

Robert nods, “Okay, okay, but you have to promise me that you won’t get him involved in this, not now, not ever.”

Chrissie smiles at Robert graciously. “Of course, darling, no problem. Now get out, I have to finish my make up for our wedding.”

Robert feels dejected as he walks to his room slowly, his brother gives him a happy smile as he passes him after a good look at him he frowns and asks, “Are you alright” he adds quietly, “If you don’t want to do this just tell me and I’ll get my car upfront.”

Robert laughs dryly.

“No, I’m fine, don’t worry, see you when I walk up to the altar.”

A moment later he is in his room again, alone thankfully.

And there is his phone laying on the cupboard he left it. His hand trembles slightly as he calls the voicemail number. He knows Chrissie probably deleted whatever she was talking about, but he has to know, if it’s still there he has to know what Aaron wanted to tell him.

He goes to the saved messages and hears the automated voice say the date and time of his stag night, he grips the phone even tighter.

And then he can hear Aaron’s voice as clear as if he is standing right next to him.

_“Yes I would want it. I want you to leave her, I don’t want you to marry her, I want to have you all to myself, I want you completely and I don’t care what everyone will think or how much of a disaster this could be, if you want to risk it then I’m in.”_

Robert feels like crying, he has to lean against the cupboard.

Aaron wants him he really does, he just wants to replay the message, when he hears the last three words _“I love you.”_

Robert can’t help the tear that trickles down his face now, he replays the message four times and each time his lips form something he thought about saying for quite a few days now.

A quiet knock pulls him out of his stupor. He quickly brushes over his wet eyes and says, “Come in.”

He didn’t expect Aaron to be the one who walks in and closes the door behind him carefully.

“Hi, I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t just walk in, not on your wedding day, I don’t even know what I was thinking, I just had to…”

Robert interrupts him with his mouth on Aaron’s, he kisses the other man passionately but also with a lot more untold emotion than normally.

After a moment Robert moves back a bit, not much, Aaron tries to chase his lips, but Robert stops him with his hands on the other man’s neck.

“I love you too.”

Aaron’s eyes snap wide open suddenly and search Robert’s, “You… you didn’t say anything before.”

“I just heard your message. Chrissie got her hands on it and now, well, I just wanted to stop the wedding, but she is threatening to make your life a living hell. I won’t let her do that to you. You have been through enough. I will try my best to placate her with marrying her and maybe after a while we can continue seeing each other, I know that’s not enough, but…”

“Stop talking. I don’t care about her, I don’t care what she will do, there is only one thing that could destroy me right now and that is you marrying her.”

Robert looks into Aaron’s eyes and all he can find is seriousness. But he can’t believe what he sees, the other man can’t be willing to give up his reputation, the respect people have for him just to be with Robert.

“I love you, like I said in the voicemail, I don’t care about the shit that comes with it, I’m completely gone for you and I want to be with you, for real.”

Robert smiles and tries to ignore how his eyes are getting wet, “I love you too and I want to be with you too.”

Aaron smiles too now, and it is a magnificent thing to see, Robert wants to see it every day for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all thanks for your kudos and comments, I love the Robron fandom! And let me know if you think I should write another story for these two (either an epilogue to this story or a new one if you have an idea), I'm also on tumblr, moldedthroughfire, drop by :)


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